The U.S. Coast Guard has announced the Flagler Memorial Bridge has returned to its normal opening schedule.

FDOT NEWS RELEASE -- The Flagler Memorial Bridge is now opening for marine traffic twice an hour at 15 minutes past the hour and 45 minutes past the hour, including during morning and afternoon rush hours.

In November 2012, the U.S. Coast Guard limited Flagler Memorial Bridge openings to once an hour and did not allow openings during the peak hours of 8:15 a.m. and 4:15 p.m. in response to construction of the replacement bridge. The restrictions were put in place to reduce traffic congestion. With four lanes of traffic now operating on the bridge, the U.S. Coast Guard has rescinded those restrictions.

The Flagler Memorial Bridge Replacement Project replaced the 75-year-old bascule (draw) bridge with a new bascule bridge connecting the Town of Palm Beach and the City of West Palm Beach over the Lake Worth Lagoon and the Intracoastal Waterway (ICWW). The Flagler Drive overpass was replaced with an “at-grade” intersection. New lighting, traffic signals, drainage, and landscaping are also included. Active construction began on Sept. 10, 2012, and will last until summer 2017. The estimated construction cost is $106 million.